Russia banned from tennis team events but players allowed on tours
Ukraine's Elina Svitolina (L) and Russia's Anastasia Potapova shake hands after their match at the Abierto de Monterrey tennis tournament, Monterrey, Mexico, March 1, 2022. (AP Photo)


World tennis bodies have banned Russia from participating in team events but will still allow its players to compete in Grand Slams and other tour events.

The decision comes after Russia invaded Ukraine last week. Belarus, a key staging area for the invasion, which Russia claims is a "special operation," has also been banned from the international team competitions.

"The international governing bodies of tennis stand united in our condemnation of Russia's actions," the ATP, WTA, International Tennis Federation and the Grand Slams said in a joint statement Tuesday.

Russian and Belarusian players will be able to play on the elite ATP and WTA Tours but not under the name or flag of their countries, the governing bodies said.

The ban means Russia cannot defend its Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup titles.

Men's world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev and No. 6 Andrey Rublev helped Russia beat Croatia in the 2021 Davis Cup final in Madrid in December a month after the Russian women won the Billie Jean King Cup in Prague.

The tennis authorities also suspended Moscow's combined WTA-ATP event scheduled for October.

It is unclear whether Russia will be able to compete in the lucrative team-based ATP Cup in Australia. Russia made the semifinals of the 2022 event in January and won the 2021 tournament.

The ITF said it had suspended the Russian Tennis Federation and Belarus Tennis Federation's memberships and withdrawn their entries from all ITF team competitions until further notice.

The decision followed the ITF's cancellation of all its tournaments in Russia and Belarus.

'Unite tennis world for Ukraine'

Dressed in Ukraine's blue and gold colors, a fired-up Elina Svitolina thrashed Russian Anastasia Potapova in Mexico Tuesday and said it was her mission to unite the tennis world behind her country following Russia's invasion.

Svitolina had initially refused to play her opening match against Potapova at the Monterrey Open but went ahead after the name and flag ban for Russian and Belarusian players.

"I think it's my mission to unite our tennis community to stand with Ukraine, to help Ukraine because what we're going through is a horrible thing for all Ukrainians," former world No. 3 Svitolina told reporters after her victory.

"That's why I'm here. That's why I'm playing for my country and doing my best using my platform and using my resources to introduce that and try to invite people to support Ukraine."

Svitolina, who has said she would donate her prize money from the tournament to the Ukrainian army, defeated Potapova 6-2 6-1, thumping her chest repeatedly on the court.

"For me, playing the match here, I'm not playing only for myself," said Svitolina. "I'm playing for my country, I'm playing for the help of the Ukrainian army and people in need.

"Every victory that I'm going to get is going to be very special."

Meanwhile, fellow Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska collapsed in a heap on the court after her victory over Romanian Ana Bogdan at the WTA 250 tournament in Lyon also on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old and her younger sister had spent two nights in an underground car park last week before their parents sent them out of Ukraine by boat to Romania and then safely to France.

"I'm happy that I won for my country, but at the same time I'm very sad," said Yastremska, who wrapped herself in a Ukrainian flag after her 3-6 7-6(7) 7-6(7) victory.

"My heart stays at home, and my mind is fighting here, so it's very difficult to find the concentration, to find the balance.

"This win, compared to what's going on in my country, is nothing. But I'm happy, at least, I'm also fighting for my country. I'm really proud of the Ukrainians and they're really heroes. I hope everything is going to finish soon."